Adelaide teams claim clean bill of health in AFL drug scandal

Adelaide Crows acting-CEO Rob Chapman and Port Adelaide FC CEO Keith Thomas have both told 891 Breakfast, to the best of their knowledge, there are no wrongdoings by their clubs in the current Australian Crime Commission investigations.

Currently suspicions have been expressed over the practices of members of the Essendon AFL club, and a single, unnamed AFL player under investigation of the ACC.

Power processes clear

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas said that he was shocked and very disappointed by the allegations that had been raised in the investigations, and went straight to the Power's medical team once the initial revelations were made to ensure the club's processes were clear.

"We don't buy any supplements from anyone other than recognised brands," Keith Thomas told Matthew Abraham and David Bevan.

"Our players cannot ingest anything without approval."

Mr Thomas said the club's safeguards would protect all players operating within the system, but could not protect against 'rogue elements'.

"We've had no indication from the police or any of the authorities that Port Adelaide is involved in any way, and I know that the general mindset of our people and our doctors is such that I would doubt it very much."

Mr Thomas said that no Port Adelaide players had been spoken to as a result of the investigation.

"The only issue that we have got is that Angus Monfries and Henry Slattery are two Essendon players who were in their system before they were recruited by Port Adelaide.

"They are, clearly at some point, going to be spoken to as part of Essendon investigation, and they are going to cooperate fully."

Crows claim no involvement

After yesterday's confirmation that the Essendon Football Club and another solo AFL player were being investigated by the ACC, acting Adelaide Crows CEO Rob Chapman told 891 Breakfast Adelaide Crows' fans had nothing to worry about that the solo player was a Crows member.

"There is no reason why they should think that way," Mr Chapman said.

He said the initial statements that illegal drug use was widespread through the AFL may have been a little pre-emptive and alarmist considering the amount of players and clubs involved in the league, due to the following announcement of only one club and a single player being investigated.

"That said, it is a wakeup call and we can get a lot better about detecting these performance and image enhancing drugs, which we must eradicate from all sports quite frankly."

Mr Chapman said the Australian Crime Commission had not spoken to any members of the Adelaide Crows Football Club.

When questioned on whether players were provided legal performance enhancing drugs, Mr Chapman said he was uncertain what exact supplements were being given to the squad, but said several meeting would be held over the next week to monitor the exact items and amounts provided to players.

"Everything is supervised by Doctor Andrew Potter down there, and his team."

Mr Chapman said that he believed that the AFL's rulings were quite clear on what was and was not allowed, but believed that criminal involvement had leapt forward to gain profits from the trafficking of the supplements, so the AFL would need to up the ante.

Both CEOs requested that the AFL reveal the identity of the player under suspicion, so the remaining clubs could have the implication of guilt removed.